Maine bill would ban fiddlehead foraging without OK

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Fiddlehead and mushroom foragers in Maine would need written permission from the owner of the land they grow on under a proposed law that would make it illegal to take any natural resource from somebody's property without written approval.
If passed by lawmakers, the bill would make it a civil violation to take plants, minerals, objects or anything else that exists naturally from private property without approval.
Rep. Walter Kumiega, who introduced the bill, says he's heard of people taking stones from stone walls, blueberry plants and even decorative reindeer moss without the landowner's OK.
But mushroom forager David Spahr, of Washington, says such a law is unneeded and simply creates another layer of regulation.
The bill was referred to the Legislature's Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee this week.

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